Ian Levinson getting his composure on the mound. (Photo submitted by Debbie Levinson)

At a glance

Ian Levinson, pitching signee with Rochester College

Throws: Right, 83 mph fastball

GPA: Above 3.0

Favorite pro pitcher: Detroit Tigers righty Max Scherzer, because “he’s always calm on the mound and has a great work ethic,” said Ian.

Hobby: Photography, has a semi-professional Nikon D7000 camera.

Studying: Interested in business

Fun Fact: Ian joined a travel baseball team two years after picking up the sport.

When Farmington High School senior Ian Levinson picked up a baseball for the first time, most of his friends had been playing for at least six years.

He was 11, and never dreamed that seven years later he would be asked to play for a college baseball team.

Levinson, 18 — now a right-handed pitcher who will graduate Sunday at Farmington High’s commencement in Plymouth — has overcome many obstacles and recently signed with Rochester College, earning a scholarship that includes partial room and board.

Ian’s hard work and determination should be an inspiration to all to follow their dreams and put in the extra effort, said his father, David.

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“Kids out there have to know that hard work and practice pays off,” said David Levinson. “(Ian) couldn’t have gone anywhere with bad grades, so I guess hard work in class and on the field have paid off for my son.”

Success on the diamond came at a cost for the 6-foot-4 hurler, an adopted child originally born in the Eastern European country of Moldova. In order to play baseball, he had to overcome struggles in his studies.

A student in a special education program at Farmington, Levinson needed a smaller group environment in order to learn classroom material.

“It took a lot of extra time in the summers trying to work on things that other kids his age had probably already learned,” said his mother, Debbie, adding that he was developmentally behind at 14 months when he was adopted.

As Ian’s love for baseball grew with his height, he worked harder to craft his pitching arsenal — he took classes with Tigers pitching coach Jeff Jones — and was asked in 2010 to join a travel baseball team, the South Oakland A’s. He also played for Farmington’s team.

He flourished in the travel league, playing against stiff competition along the East Coast, and the turning point came when coaches with the team told him there was a good chance he could play in college.

Justin Robinson, a pitching instructor who works with Ian, was one of those coaches. He said after that, Ian would come to his pitching workshop studio — sometimes around 9 p.m. — would get in the cage and throw a bullpen to the wall if there was no one to catch for him.

“He was willing to put the time and effort in, said Robinson, “and to play college the grades have to be there. He met us both ways.”

Added A’s coach Ed Monley: “He’s the best pitcher on our team, and a hard worker — whatever we ask him to do, he just does it.”

Ian knew what else he had to do, he said.

“I just did everything I could to get my GPA up, and I took four ACT tests in order to get the score I needed to get into college,” said Ian. “Two hours of studying a day, taking practice tests on the computer, in books and whatnot. It was a lot.”

Countless hours of studying and practicing paid off for the 18-year-old on a recent school night while he was watching television with his dad. Rochester College coach Ryan Chipka offered his a spot on the team and the partial scholarship.

“I didn’t go to bed on time that night,” said Ian.

Chipka said Ian embodies the type of player the team was looking for: “A Class A kid who doesn’t take no for an answer in anything he does, with a love for baseball.

“We’re looking forward to four years of working with Ian. He’s got tremendous potential.”

Although he received extra testing time in high school, Ian’s studies have helped him largely overcome a slight learning disability, and he’ll enter Rochester College just like any other student — but in his case, a college baseball career awaits.

Ian’s determination has translated into career aspirations, as well. He plans to study business in college — a track that his father, a hardware store owner, influenced, he said.

Another interest, photography, also swayed his decision. He loves photography, and has become an amateur photographer, taking after his mother, who has the same passion.

“Someday I’d like to have my own photography business,” he said. “Either way, (playing baseball in college) is going to be a cool experience, and I’m really happy about it.”